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Guest post: Treating asthma naturally

We all hear stories of how “so-and-so” got off their heart medication, migraine pills or whatever by transitioning to herbal supplements. But are they really true or did some supplement company hire an actor to tell their “story?” Because, ahem, we’ve never seen that before. In this post, my sister-in-law, Kristine Dessinger, shares how she transitioned from “black box warning” asthma meds to a gentle herbal supplement for the management of her asthma.

Anyone With A Chronic Medical Condition . . . Can relate to the frustration of dealing with the ongoing symptoms and expenses involved with asthma. I experienced a sudden onset of asthma when I was about 9 years old. One night I woke up and couldn’t breathe. It was very scary for me as a child and continued to be so for many years, especially during my 3 severe asthma attacks. I’m not sure what triggered the asthma, whether it was caused by allergies or was related to the traumatic experience of being chased around the block by a man on a bicycle.

After the onset, my parents took me to an asthma specialist who discovered I was only breathing at 30% of my capacity. I started out using an albuterol inhaler (Proventil), pills for allergies and asthma, and weekly allergy shots. I still had problems and had to use my inhaler frequently. I later began a steroid inhaler called Serevent. It was only somewhat effective.

I’ve had 3 severe asthma attacks in my life including one in fifth grade when I was near hay, one in college when I was near hay, and one when I was teaching first grade during an El Nino year of strong winds. During the first two attacks, I did not have my inhaler and had to be rushed home to get it. During the third attack, the inhaler didn’t help, and I had to have my dad pick me up from work and drive me to my asthma doctor for an albuterol breathing treatment. At that point, I received an albuterol breathing machine which helped but was quite a hassle to use. Eventually, I switched over to Advair, which was the first medicine that truly worked for me.

Finances Were Also A Big Consideration

When I had medical insurance through my job, Advair cost $25 per month. When I lost my medical insurance, it cost over $200 per month. At that point I started taking half doses because I could not afford it. On the half doses, I had tightness in my chest and occasional coughing fits, but I had to live with that. I eventually began ordering a generic version online through a Canadian company. This allowed me to get a 3 month supply for about $160.

Not only was this a physical journey for me, it was also a spiritual one. I can’t tell you how many times I prayed to be healed and nothing changed. As a young adult, I became very disillusioned with the idea that God would heal me. I’d seen Him heal many other people, but I finally gave up that it would ever happen for me. Over a period of years, I learned to trust Him completely regardless of the outcome. And I have applied that lesson to other areas of my life as well. I trust in God’s goodness and His desire that I live in complete freedom.

As I Became Aware . . .

Through my brother and sister-in-law, I began researching my medication. I realized that Advair had a black box warning and could cause death. I realized that the cortisone in my medication could cause osteoporosis, weight gain, vision changes, fertility issues, and many other problems. I wanted to get off of the medication, and so in 2009 I tried other options. I went off of my medicine and tried a home remedy of organic apple cider vinegar mixed with honey. That didn’t work. I tried eating more organic foods to reduce inflammation. That wasn’t enough. So I gave up and went back to my medication because I was miserable.

At the beginning of 2010, I tried to get a prescription for a refill of my generic Advair. The doctor’s office wanted me to come back in which would have cost me over $100 plus the $160 for my medicine. I was frustrated, so I decided to look online again. That’s when I discovered an herbal supplement called Breathe Eazy, which claims to cure asthma. I was skeptical, of course, but decided to give it a try. It is a formula made up of 14 herbs. Each of these herbs has healing properties and is used to treat bronchitis, chest pain, inflammation, wheezing, allergic reactions, and bronchial spasms.

I weaned myself off of Advair and have been breathing since then with very little problem. My chest does not feel tight like it did even while on my medication. For me this is a miracle 25 years in the making. I realize now that I have limited God by expecting Him to heal me in a particular way. I now believe that when God created these herbs, He already had my healing in mind.

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About Heather

Hi, I'm Mommypotamus. My mission is to help you put delicious, healthy meals on the table, find effective natural remedies for common complaints, make your own fuss-free personal care and home products, and save time and money in the process.

I’d like to share an article with you that was posted yesterday. The FDA is now warning that Advair, Symbicort, Foradil, and Serevent could be dangerous by causing asthma to suddenly get worse. The FDA is now saying that these medicines should only be used for the shortest time possible. Unfortunately, many of us have used them for years and were unaware of the risks involved as well as damage being done to our bodies.

Though I cannot verify it, I have been told about a woman that took birth control pills longer than the “recommended” time limit and then struggled for years with infertility while her body healed. Don’t know if it’s true, but if it is it makes me sad that doctors are not more closely monitoring the timelines in which their patients take potentially dangerous medications.

Thanks, Heather! Daniel, all of my attacks occurred at night except for the last which occurred when I was teaching first grade. A substitute had to be called in so I could leave my class and rush to the doctor.

I just recently had my first asthma attack. I am now using my inhaler 1 or 2 times a day. And I am having coughing fits. And I am already tired of it. I am going to try this. I also get really bad allergies, so maybe that will help? Thank you for posting this. .-= Linda´s last blog ..Is it the job of a man or woman? =-.

Hello someone please help me i try to run and do exercise im tired of getting tired everytime i run to do PT and everything can some one help me so i can get on the right track to treat my asthama naturally.

@Heather I am soooo glad that your blog suggests other posts, because you posted this before I found you! My husband and father-in-law both have asthma, and both use Primatene, which is about to disappear forever, so I’m extra glad I found this post today!

I know that this post was from 2 years ago but I’m just now reading it. My husband and two daughters struggle so much with asthma. It’s getting worse since we moved from Colorado to Texas. I went to the website and didn’t see anything about Peekay. There’s a product called Breathe Easy. Can you tell me if it’s the same thing? Thanks so much!

Hi Jessica! I’m not sure, but I’ve sent an email asking my SIL (who wrote the post). In the meantime, though, you might want to check out the GAPS protocol. I sat in on a lecture by the woman who created it, Dr. Campell-McBride, and she said she’s had tremendous success reversing asthma with it. Here’s a story from one family that used it: http://www.gapsdiet.com/Testimonials.html

My story sounds identical to yours! I’m all on board to trying Breathe Eazy, however, the link is no longer working. I have found some products called Breathe Eazy on Amazon but there are several called Breathe Eazy. So my questions are is this a herbal tea, oils, or a pill? I see a red container popping up first is that it?